I. nounEtymology: Middle English, from Old English bōt remedy — more at betterDate: before 12th century1.archaicdeliverance2.chiefly dialect something to equalize a trade
3.obsoleteavailII. verbDate: 15th centuryarchaicavail, profitIII. nounEtymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French boteDate: 14th century1. a fitted covering (as of leather or rubber) for the foot and usually reaching above the ankle
2. an instrument of torture used to crush the leg and foot
3. something that resembles or is likened to a boot; especially an enclosing or protective casing or sheath (as for a rifle or over an electrical or mechanical connection)
4. a navy or marine corps recruit undergoing basic training
5.British an automobile trunk
6.a. a kick with the foot
b. summary dismissal — used with the<

gave him the boot

>c. momentary pleasure or enjoyment ;bang<

got a big boot out of the joke

>7. a sheath enclosing the inflorescence
8.Denver bootIV. verbDate: 15th centurytransitive verb1. to put boots on
2.a.kickb. to eject or discharge summarily — often used with out<

was booted out of office

>3. to make an error on (a grounder in baseball); broadlybotch4. to ride (a horse) in a race <

booted home three winners

>5. [bootstrap (II)]
a. to load (a program) into a computer from a disk
b. to start or ready for use especially by booting a program <

boot a computer

> — often used with upintransitive verb1. to become loaded into a computer's memory from a disk <

the program boots automatically

>2. to become ready for use especially by booting a program <

the computer boots quickly

> — often used with up
• bootableadjectiveV. nounEtymology:1bootDate: 1593archaicbooty, plunder

boot — n [obsolete or dialect boot compensation, from Old English bōt advantage, compensation]: additional money or property received to make up the difference in an exchange of business or investment property that is of like kind but unequal in value ◇ … Law dictionary

boot — [buːt] also boot up verb COMPUTING 1. [intransitive] if a computer boots, it starts working and is ready to use: • The machine takes a long time to boot up. 2. [transitive] to make a computer ready to be used by getting all the programs it nee … Financial and business terms

Boot — Boot, n. [OE. bote, OF. bote, F. botte, LL. botta; of uncertain origin.] 1. A covering for the foot and lower part of the leg, ordinarily made of leather. [1913 Webster] 2. An instrument of torture for the leg, formerly used to extort confessions … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

boot — boot1 [bo͞ot] n. [ME & OFr bote] 1. a) a protective covering of leather, rubber, cloth, etc., for the foot and part or all of the leg [riding boot] b) an overshoe c) a man s shoe reaching at least to the ankle 2. a boot shaped instrum … English World dictionary